Forest department officials have rescued a six-year-old leopard caught in a snare set up for hunting wild animals in Sri Lanka.<br /><br />The incident took place in the forest area behind the row of estate houses at Kenilworth Estate in Ginigathena on July 12.<br /><br />The video shows the leopard amid a clearing in the forest growling at the rescue officials.<br /><br />One person can be seen loading the tranquillizer gun to sedate the big cat.<br /><br />Following this, they shoot the dart at the leopard.<br /><br />Later they move the sedated feline into a trap cage to transport the animal.<br /><br />According to reports, the big cat was weighed and medically administered for injuries.<br /><br />The leopard was taken in for further medical evaluation at the Nallathanniya Wildlife Office.<br /><br />Sources suggest the wildlife officials in the Nallathanniya area released the leopard into the Nallathanniya Samanala Natural Reserve.<br /><br />Reports say a project to remove snares from the tea estates has already been launched.<br /><br />Wildlife officials have managed to rescue some of the leopards that had been caught in the tea plantation in the past, while a black panther and several other leopards were not so lucky to survive the ordeal.
